The Newtown Babe Ruth Baseball 11-and-under travel team bounced back from a 2-0 first-inning deficit and buried Southbury, 13-4, Tuesday night at Ewald Park in Southbury.

Pat Thornberg banged out four hits and scored three runs for the Lightning.

With the score tied 2-2 in the third inning, Dan Gustafson slashed a game-winning single up the middle, scoring Rob Andreotta and Tyler Gibney. In the next inning, Kaleb Rowe drove in a run with a single and Nicky Sajovic drove in two more with a sharp single to right field. Chris Devaney finished the game with three runs scored and a double as Wes Tardie and Gibney each scored twice.

Sajovic picked up his first win of the season, limiting Southbury to two singles and striking out three batters in the first three innings. Troy Larsen pitched brilliantly in relief, yielding one single and striking out two hitters in two scoreless innings. Ben Stoller, who also made solid defensive plays at second base, picked up the save.

Stoller was backed by a beautiful double play turned by shortstop Gibney, second baseman Sajovic and first baseman Tardie. Devaney made a diving catch of a hard-hit line drive to center field, preventing a run from scoring in the third inning.

John Lebinski, Rowe and Thornberg provided strong catching. Lebinski scrambled after a wild pitch in the second inning and flipped to Sajovic to cut down a runner trying to steal home in the second inning.

12s Look To States

The Newtown 12-and-under travel team will be looking for its fourth consecutive state championship when the the state tournament opens next weekend in Newtown.

Glander Field will host the competition